Because the policy is more of an aspiration, not a firm commitment. Johnson told the BBC that “I would like to see us take all diesel-only trains off the track by 2040. If that seems like an ambitious goal, it should be and I make no apology for that. After all we’re committed to ending the sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. If we can achieve that, then why can’t the railway aspire to a similar objective?” Once doesn’t have to be a Professor of English to spot the caveats in that.

The inherent irony here is that his Government has recently scaled back electrification of routes like the Midland Mail Line (MML) and has ordered many more diesel-electric bi-mode trains like the Hitachi Class 802s for GWR. Bi-modes are the worst of all worlds as they’re hardly energy efficient, OK, they may run on electric power for most of the trip, but then they’re carting around a lot of dead-weight in diesel engines and fuel.

This also begs questions about the 55 new CAF built Civity DMUs which are on order for Northern. Can these be converted to EMUs and (even if they can be) what does this do for the economics of the Northern franchise? Elsewhere, Porterbrook leasing are converting all-electric Class 319 trains to bi-mode by fitting them with diesel engines. The rolling stock leasing companies must be scratching their heads right now. They’ve got 1000s of older EMU vehicles coming off-lease in the next few years but without an extension of electrification, there’s nowhere to run them! Instead, we’re going to the halfway-house of bi-mode.

GWR are currently taking delivery of these Hitachi Class 800 bi-modes to replace their HST fleet. Does the Government seriously expect the MTU diesel engines to be redundant in 22 yrs time, and if so – how?

Whilst the announcement (or should that be ‘thinking aloud’) will be welcome news for companies like Alstom who have developed a Hydrogen powered train, it leaves more questions than it answers.

There’s one very noticeable omission in the ‘plan’: Freight.

The majority of the UKs railfreight is moved by powerful ‘go anywhere’ diesel locomotives. How will they be replaced by 2040 without electrifying the main freight routes? As many depots and sidings aren’t electrified train builders have fitted ‘last mile’ diesel powerpacks to electric locos. Realistically, can these be replaced by hydrogen or battery power by 2040? And what about the miles of freight lines where diesel operation’s the only viable option? Freight operators exist on very small margins as it is. How would this proposal affect the economics of their operations?

Siemens Vectron locomotives under construction in Vienna in 2016. These modular locos are can be built as diesel or electric. The version in VR livery is an electric fitted with a ‘last mile’ diesel power-pack.

The current workhorse of UK freight operators is the Class 66. Without widespread electrification, what else could deliver the power at rail needed to move heavy freight trains hundreds of miles at up to 75mph? A Canadian plan for a hydrogen powered locomotive shows that it would be two units, with the second carrying the hydrogen. Doubling the size of the locomotive increases maintenance costs and potentially leads to shorter trains due to the capacity of sidings and loops (also increasing costs).

So, I remain sceptical about the ‘plan’ as I don’t see a firm policy or long-term strategy from DfT or Ministers that will allow this to happen, which is a shame as Johnson’s aim is laudable. Recently, I blogged about the change to air quality at Paddington station which was evident now the HSTs and DMU’s were being replaced by electric traction. Sadly, with diesel bi-modes and back-tracking on electrification we seem to be going in the wrong direction.

I’m writing this in Costa Coffee on Liverpool Lime St, having just finished the last overnight job of 2015. I hadn’t planned to be here. The commission was one of those last minute requests that found me available & able to make my way across to the Seaforth container terminal in Liverpool to document the arrival, loading, unloading and departure of the first intermodal train to use the site since Freightliner pulled out in 2007. Despite the gloomy forecast the rain (mostly) held off, whilst the water on the ground added extra light & contrast to my pictures. Even the notorious River Mersey wind, (which can cut through you like a knife) was pretty relaxed.

Needless to say, it’s a flying visit. I was on the last Trans-Pennine service in and I’m on the first one out – which is a shame as I’d loved to have had spare time to explore the city of my birth. Then again, trudging round in a full set of PPE with camera bag and tripod in tow is hardly conducive to sight-seeing or shopping. There’s also the fact that I’ve been up all night – hence the coffee stop! For the first time in several years I’m not actually working over the festive season. Normally I’d be spending Xmas and Boxing day documenting the hard work of Network Rail and their contractors as they rebuild or renew the railway. Instead I’m spending Xmas with Dawn’s family at a holiday cottage in the Yorkshire countryside. I’m sure my body clock won’t know what the hell is going on! No long shifts, no overnights – just the chance to experience what most ordinary folk do this time of year. Of course, I’ll still be thinking about the members of the ‘orange army’ who don’t have that luxury. Stay safe folks…

It’s hard to imagine now but a century ago the Calder valley line would have been a main freight artery carrying hundreds of thousands of tons of coal for use within the UK and for export via Liverpool docks. Now, the traffic has disappeared (along with all the collieries) with just a single coal train running on the route. In fact, freight traffic of all sorts has dried up. On weekdays between 06:00 and midnight the following services traverse the valley.

However, all this is about to change, thanks to ‘King Coal’s’ replacement – wood chip biomass….

Energy giant Drax has signed a deal with port owner Peel Ports which will see Liverpool handle up to three million tonnes of wood pellets a year. The pellets, which are a by-product of the commercial forestry and saw-milling industry will be imported from North America.

All of the wood pellets will be sent to Drax by rail from Liverpool as the biomass terminal will include its own rail loading facility and storage capacity for 100,000 tonnes. The cost of the new terminal is estimated at £100 million and the facility opened this month. It will become fully operational from July 2016 when it will be able to facilitate up to ten train loads of pellets to be sent to Drax per day.
A three year contract to run the trains has been won by operator GBRf.

The route taken will be a circuitous one from Liverpool via Warrington, Northwich, Altrincham, Stockport and Rochdale, then via the Calder Valley and on to Wakefield & Knottingley to Drax.

Here’s a report from the Liverpool Echo on the opening of the terminal & first train.

On their Facebook page GBRf announced that “initially 13 trains per week will run, increasing to 23 trains per week sometime in mid 2016” The trains will be using some of the 200 high capacity biomass wagons that Drax purchased in 2013. These have a capacity of 116 m3, which Drax says is nearly 30% more than other UK wagons. The payload of the wagons is 72 tonnes with a gross laden weight of 102 tonnes. The wagons are capable of being hauled at 75mph.

As a precursor to this service one train a day (each way) is already running Monday – Thursday. Some 50 kt of biomass will be moved from Liverpool to Drax over the next few weeks, although this will be carried in GBRf’s own biomass wagons. The empties run from Drax to Liverpool overnight with the loaded service passing through the Calder valley each evening (passing Sowerby Bridge at 2235).

The new flow is a welcome reversal of the fortunes of freight in the Calder valley, let’s hope more services follow.

I’ll add some illustrations of the wagons & trains as soon as I can. Right now WordPress seems to be playing up & won’t let me!

At 8.15 am a tragic accident on the M62 which involved 3 lorries closed the motorway in both directions at Milnrow in Lancashire. Sadly,one driver is seriously injured. This has caused chaos on both sides of the Pennines. Here in Sowerby Bridge we always know when there’s problems on this section of the M62 as all the roads through the town & surrounding area become clogged with vehicles trying to find alternative routes.

Today’s accident was a bad one. The M62 has been closed all day. Late in the afternoon the Eastbound side was opened but the level of traffic is far below what the motorway normally carries – as you can see from the pictures I took at Scammonden at 21:05 this evening.

The M62 at Scammonden looking East this evening.The Westbound side of the motorway remains closed

Looking West at the same location

Meanwhile, high above the M62, diverted traffic was nose to tail on the A640. Clearly, many lorry drivers had run out of hours & had parked up wherever they could find space. Those with empty trailers left their back doors open to show would be thieves there was nothing worth stealing. The scenes reminded me of images of an army retreating in disarray after a crushing defeat. I swapped words with one or two of the drivers who didn’t know the area & wanted to know where they might park up or how far it was to the nearest pub. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for all these people, crawling along an A road at 10mph at best with no idea where they were or how long it would take them to get home.

The queues and parked up lorries reminded me of a retreating army…

Take the long way home…

Today’s problems bring highlight the strategic importance of the M62 & the lack of viable alternatives. I’d hope the Governments commitment to the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ & development of better Trans-Pennine rail links will help shift traffic away from motorways like the M62 & see more freight transfer from road to rail.